2nd appearance and first cover of Gambit
1st chronological appearance of Gambit in-story / in-continuity
X-Men Annual #14 went on sale three weeks before this issue and is often considered the first cameo appearance of Gambit
This would imply that his appearance is brief though he appears in 15 panels throughout X-Men Annual #14 with at least 10 instances of dialogue
Tap cover and swipe left to view images where Gambit is the main or partial focus of the sequence in X-Men Annual #14
Uncanny X-Men #266 was written as if it were to be published prior to the annual, therefore #266 would be the first chronological appearance of Gambit in-story (or in-continuity)
CGC, the grading certification company for comic books, recognizes Uncanny X-Men #266 as the first full appearance of Gambit
[April 2026 - Lee Sung Jin (Beef) is writing the X-Men reboot script and has specifically expressed his affection for Gambit]
